Typewriter keyboard



Sept..18 1923. 1,468,566

E. c. HALL TYPEWRITER KEYBOARD 5 v I Filed Sept. 8. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. C. HALL TYPEWRITER KEYBOARD Filed Sept. 8. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3m EUHQZ l fi -WU Patented Sept. '1 8, 1923.

m'rso STATES .EMMETI 0. BALL, or'nnnnAY, FLORIDA. r

TYrE nI'rna KEYBOARD.

. Application filed September 1922. .SeriaLNo. 586,912.

State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriter Keyboards; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and'exact descriptionof the invention, such as'will'enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same."

The object of the invention is to provide a keyboard for typewriting machineswhereby the facility of operation is increased and particularly whereby. the positioning of the what may properly be termedian unbroken surface composed of the separately operable. key head elements. The lines of divisionor separationbetween'thef key heads are'arhands on thekeyboardisdirected with accuracy and convenience to'the operator with special reference totouch writing and the encouragement of op'era-tors to employ the touch system,"and furthermore with a view to facilitating the acquirement and practice of the art of typewriting by the blind; and furthernhore to provide a construction Vwhereby the"rapidity of operation isincreased by minimizing the necessary movements of the hands and the strokes of the several fingers in the individual manipulation of the keys; and with these general objects in VlQWythB invention consists in a;

construction, combination and relation of parts, of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is-fafront view ofa keyboard v embodying the invention, showing the'same in connection with a typewriting machine of the conventional type which is'indicated however merelyin outline, I v Figure 2 is a plan View of the'keybo'ard, Figure 3 is a similar view of the keyboard,

wherein the key heads are square instead of; I p y g gers' respectivelyof theleft and righthands I 7 being of the diamond form; shown in Figure 2, V

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the keyboard on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure2,

Figures 5', 6 and 7 arerespectively detail sectional views on the plane indicated by the lines 5-5, 6-6 and 7-7 of Figure 2. V

The keyboard indicated generally at 10 represents a jconventional or standard arrangement-of character key heads, shift:

keys and the like which are arranged however to provide a practically unbroken s rface, in that the key heads are of angular form in planand are provided with match- L ing' or mating'edges arranged close.

out frictional resistance, to theend that th e fingers of the operators hands 'mayslide freely in any and all directions over the relatiorn'wvith sufficient space to permit 1ndependentmovement of the heads withsurface thereof without" meeting any ob structi'on or edge "tending to impede such movement. The keyboard inI-other words is of such a construction as to'suggest its manufacture from a. single slab or plate of suitable material sawed oricut' on lines to separatethe portions'forming theindividual key heads separated only by spaces repre sentiing saw kerfs or the like and presenting ranged longitudinally as indicated at 11 and transversely as indicated at 12 andfin, the

construction illustrated in Figures 1 and'Q these transverse lines j are diagonally posed, whereas in the form shown in Figure" 35 the transverselines a re'broken or interrupted with the severalfpo'rtions thereof per;- pendicular to or at right angles to the longitudinal lines; as indicated at 12 The form shownin Figure-2 withthe diagonal transverse lines is preferred for the reason that shouldt'here be any looseness of the key heads incident to wear or otherwise fthe fingers :of the operators hand 'in sliding,

from one position to another are n0t subje-ct to contact with angles of thekeyheadsl and therefor e t o any distracting conditions.

' The. keyboard from end to end is of:

undulatory form Awith inain guiding or indicating grooves 13 and diagonallyf andti'ansversely traversing theY'same and: de-

signed as guides for thejmi'ddle' or 'long fin- I of the operator 7 and supplemental guiding dicated at 18' andlQfThis undulating cong formation of the surface of the keyboard is' f designed to bring the several series of key heads at opposite sides of the guiding or in dicating' grooves or features 13and 14: within convenient reach of the other or shorter fingers ofthe hands of the operator, to the end that in operationthe severalfingers may have practically thesame distance to travel in order to cause the necessary operationof the keys allotted thereto or falling within their zone of operation. with the middle fingers of the hands of the operator in the maid guiding grooves, the

other fingersof the hands rest comfortably an'anammn'y upon the adjacent keys on eithersidethereof such aposition that practicallyfthe same movernent of any finger willfefl'ec' t the desired operation of the keypa which the finger is, located. This undulatory conformation is maintained transversely on diagonal lines which are substai'itially parallel for the two hands,

throughoiit the width or the, keyboard, so

1 that a'sthe handsarenioved forward and the'han djs, the keysare preferablyprovided with" centering depressions 20 0f a depth nie'rely sinlicient'to be felt by thetips of the sngaers'asa guidein operation. 7 l I Thus the operator placing the hands" upon a keyboard: constructed: as described finds the proper locationir'orithe hands relation to the keyboard without inspecting the 'latter and I rnei'ely the fact that with the hands ina natural position; the middle fingers will find the, guiding grooves and innnediately the other" fiiigers find than proper positions on the related keys. WVith the'hands properly positioned, the'severajl' keys of the board can'lh'eselected Inerely by movements of the hands frorn and towards the O e'rato'mne without inspection; For this reason thejkeyboa'rd is specially adapted for the use ofjthe blind; not only in learning' the use of thernachine but in the later expert'manipiilationthereof, and as'a means i In other words,-

Witness'es or the characters are arranged on the keyboard and 'which as above indicated is in accordance witnthe standard adopted by the manufacturers of commercial typewriting machines. I

-Thatisclirhried is: or

11:2; typewriter keyboard having keys prhvided with matching edges arranged in juiitarelation and with the ftacing edges of the different keys at the upper snrface in lush relationjto produce a continiious Shh stantially irn 'per'forate bearing surface for the fingers of the 'emtors Hands, said siirf face heing provided with one or more finger guiding grooves coniinon to a pliirality of keys; V p I V v p Y 2. A typewriter: keyboard having keys p rovided with matchingedges arranged in jnxtar'elation to p'rodi ce a continuous bear ingv surface for the fingers of the operatorfs ligands, saidjsnr'lace hein g" provided with transverse dia onally disposed substantially parallel gtiiding grooves for the rniddle fingers of the hands said snrfacelbeinghrched intermediate said grooves, said s'iirfa'ce h aV ing a groove on'the sides o f the lfirs t mellvtioned grooves opposite the arch; and said surface havingelevatedportions on the sides of the second grooves opposite to the first grooves. g Y 1 p 3. typewriterkeyboard having keys provided with matching edges menged'in jliXtar elation to producea continuous hear: ing surface for the fingers of the operator is ends, said surface being provided with transverse giiidinggroovesfor the middle fingers of the operators hands and the adacentportions of the surface being undulated to bring the related keys within iiniforhi reach of the other fingers of the hands.

Intestimony whereofl afi i x'rn y signatiire' in presence of two witnesses.

: VEMA/IETT o. HA L.

A. L. NEIL; 7 JOHN W. 'HALL. 

